Method of manufacturing a transparent object and an object obtained with method

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a method by which a transparent object can be manufactured, in which transparent object an inclusion is arranged. A spherical object can be a substantially two-dimensional or three-dimensional object. The method includes the following steps, to be performed in suitable sequence, of: a) providing two complementary halves of the object such that at least one of two contact surfaces of the respective halves to be directed toward each other has a central recess which also forms a boundary of a cavity for accommodating at least a part of the inclusion; b) arranging at least said part of the inclusion in said recess; and c) mutually adhering the two halves, for instance by means of the parts of the two contact surfaces extending around the central recess, in order to form the object.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to transparent objects having an inclusionarranged therein.

2. Description of the Prior Art

From FR-A-1 138 950 a method for manufacturing a transparent object isknown. According to this prior art method two complementary halves of anobject are provided such that either contact surface of the respectivehalves to be directed to each other is provided with a central recess,the complete recess in the final composition forming the boundary of acavity having a specific shape corresponding to a three-dimensionalobject. It is noted that according to this prior art reference such anobject defined by the central recesses has a “virtual” nature, sinceonly the boundaries of the object are present and the cavity bounded bythe recesses has a shape corresponding to the shape of a simulatedobject or inclusion.

From U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,251 a method for manufacturing a transparentobject is known, said object being composed of two transparent halves intheir assembled state bounding together a cavity in which a honey liquidis enclosed.

Both prior art references have in common that the final transparentobjects are bounded by flat surfaces, whereas the method according tothe present invention is also directed to manufacturing a transparentsphere. Furthermore, none of the prior art references discloses the useof a two-dimensional or three-dimensional inclusion which is embedded inthe cavity formed by the recess or the recesses in a transparent massencapsulating the inclusion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a method formanufacturing a transparent object in which an inclusion is arranged. Aspherical object can for instance be envisaged in which a substantiallytwo-dimensional or three-dimensional object is accommodated.

The stated objective is generally realized according to the invention bya method for manufacturing a transparent object, for instance a sphere,with a substantially two-dimensional or three-dimensional inclusion,which method comprises the following steps, to be performed in suitablesequence, of:

(a) providing two complementary halves of the object such that at leastone of the two contact surfaces of the respective halves to be directedtoward each other has a central recess which also forms the boundary ofa cavity for accommodating at least a part of the inclusion;

(b) arranging at least said part of the inclusion in said recess; and

(c) mutually adhering the two halves, for instance by means of the partsof the two contact surfaces extending round the central recess, in orderto form the object;

wherein the cavity formed by the recess(es) is filled with a transparentmass encapsulating an introduced inclusion, for instance a liquid or aglue which is transparent after curing, wherein the inclusion isaccommodated in the cavity.

Claim 2 is a further development. In this embodiment the transitionsurface between the object and the mass can be seen only with difficultyor not at all.

The invention, also relates to a transparent as specified in the claims1-18.

The steps according to claims 17 and 18 offer the possibility ofcontrolling within determined limits the magnification resulting fromthe optical effect of a half and of making this magnification dependenton the side from which a user views an inclusion. The method accordingto the invention offers the possibility of manufacturing an object,wherein an introduced object is embedded as an inclusion, as if it were“floating” in a transparent mass.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be elucidated with reference to the annexeddrawings. Herein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of two halves which can be assembled toform an object;

FIG. 2 shows a view corresponding with FIG. 1 of a variant;

FIG. 3 shows a cross section through another embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows a view corresponding with FIG. 3 of a variant;

FIG. 5 shows a cross section through yet another embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows a cross section corresponding with FIG. 5 through a furthervariant;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a half in another embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view corresponding with FIG. 7 of yet anotherembodiment;

FIG. 9 shows a cross section through a half in yet another embodiment;and

FIGS. 10-15 show very schematically a possible manufacture of a glassobject with a three-dimensional inclusion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a lower half 1 and an upper half 2, each having the shapeof a hollow hemisphere. Each half has a hemispherical recessrespectively 3, 4 and a three-dimensional inclusion 5 is positioned inthe lower recess 3. This can be held in place by suitable means to bedescribed hereinbelow, for instance by adhesion to the bottom of recess3. The annular flat peripheral surface 6 of recess 3 has an adhesivelayer 7 which can adhere to the annular peripheral surface 8 of recess4. The adhesive layer 7 can for instance comprise a pressure-sensitiveor thermally-activated glue or be embodied as a layer of adhesive enamelor double-sided adhesive tape. By placing the halves 1, 2 onto oneanother as according to the broken lines 9 an object can be obtained inwhich the inclusion 5 is accommodated.

The halves 1, 2 can be manufactured from any suitable transparentmaterial, for instance glass or transparent plastic.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the outer surfaces of halves 1, 2 arehemispherical. The obtained object is wholly spherical.

FIG. 2 shows a variant in which the halves 1′, 2′ can be placed onto oneanother in only one position. For this purpose the surface 6′ isprovided with three shallow recesses 10, 11, 12, while surface 8′ isprovided with three corresponding protrusions 13, 14, 15 respectively.It will be apparent that due to the asymmetrical placing of therespective recesses and protrusions only one positioning is possible,wherein the remaining portions of surfaces 6′ and 8′ are laid flat ontoone another for mutual adhesion in the manner described with referenceto FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows an object 16 comprising a substantially hemispherical lowerhalf 17 and a complementary hemispherical upper half 18. The upper half18 is solid while the lower half 17 is hollow. A good mutual positioningof the halves 17, 18 is ensured by the recessed edge zone 19 into whichthe half 17 fits exactly. An adhesive foil 21 with printing 22 isadhered to the flat inner surface 20 of the half 18. The foil 21 istransparent so that the printing 22 is visible from both the underside(as according to FIG. 3) and from above. Due to the solid embodiment ofupper half 18 the printing 22 will be seen from above at a considerablygreater magnification than from the underside.

FIG. 4 shows a variant wherein the halves 17, 18 correspond with thoseaccording to FIG. 3. In this embodiment however, the cavity 23, whichhas a roughly hemispherical form, is wholly filled with a transparentfilling mass 24 in which is embedded an inclusion 25. This is athree-dimensional object, in contrast to the foil 21 of FIG. 3 which canbe deemed essentially two-dimensional.

FIG. 5 shows a variant with two hollow halves 26, 27. These are mutuallyconnected by step-like peripheral surfaces by means of adhesive layers7′. The internal cavity 28 is filled with a liquid, the refractive indexof which roughly corresponds with that of the material of the halves 26,27, for instance glass. The boundary surface 29 is hardly or not at allvisible as a result. The three-dimensional inclusion 30 which is whollyenclosed by the liquid 31 in cavity 28 therefore appears optically to auser of object 32 to be assimilated in the liquid, while the user feelsthat the object 32 is solid. This is a very surprising effect.

FIG. 6 shows an object 33 which consists of two halves 34, 35 which aremutually connected in the same manner as shown in FIG. 5. The innersurface of the upper half 35 is provided with a reflective coating 36.This can very suitably consist of vapour-deposited aluminium.

Very surprising optical effects can be achieved with the object 33.

It is noted that a combination of the aspects of FIGS. 5 and 6 can alsobe applied. Attractive and even spectacular effects can herein berealized with varying magnifications.

FIG. 7 shows a half 37 wherein the adhesive layer 7″ consists ofadhesive enamel which can be thermally activated for adhesion to anupper half (not drawn). The adhesive enamel comprises four bridges 38which support in the cavity 33 a three-dimensional object 39 forinclusion.

FIG. 8 shows a half 40, wherein the adhesive enamel 7′″ is transparentand carries information 41, 42.

Attention is once again drawn to the fact that the combination ofdifferent described and drawn aspects is possible.

FIG. 9 shows a half 43 corresponding with the half 34 of FIG. 6, whereinthe concave inner surface 44 is provided with printings which for thesake of convenience are all designated 45. Using the stipple methodthese printings are applied in respective colours and can consist forinstance of low-melting types of enamel. Arrows 46 indicate symbolicallythe application of the printings 45 with the stipple method. Theprintings can be adhered and cured by a thermal treatment.

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 show schematically respectively the filling of amould cavity 47 with liquid glass, the forming of a cavity 48 in thethus formed glass sphere 49 and the separating of the hollow sphere 49into two parts via plane 50. This division according to FIG. 12 takesplace at a temperature at which the glass is still plastic. The mouldhalves 51, 52 are then set down as according to FIG. 14 such that stamps53, 54 (see also FIG. 14) can form an impression in the bottoms 55, 56of the halves 57, 58.

As shown in FIG. 14, a three-dimensional impression of the stamps 53, 54is realized in the halves 57′, 58′. It will be apparent that in thedirection of displacement 59 of stamps 53, 54 the active stampingsurfaces may not have undercut forms.

The impressions 61, 62 in halves 57′, 58′ are complementary. The flatend surfaces 63, 64 can be mutually adhered, for instance with atransparent glue, while making use of a positioning, an example of whichis shown in FIG. 2. An object 65 can therewith be obtained in which acomplete three-dimensional FIG. 66 is accommodated as boundary of acavity corresponding with both impressions 61, 62. Making use of forinstance stipple printing as according to FIG. 9 the impressions 61, 62can be provided with selectively coloured patterns.

The mutual adhesion of two halves can in general advantageously takeplace with a transparent glue. This provides an optically moreattractive product.

In addition to stipple print with low-melting enamel use can also bemade of other printing techniques, inter alia screen print for instance.

Further shown in the drawings are only flat and concave inner surfacesof the inner cavity of the objects. Other forms are however alsopossible.

In a case as in FIG. 4, the mass 24 could also have an adhesivefunction. In that case it can also serve to mutually adhere the halves17 and 18 so that the adhesive layer 7 can be omitted.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for manufacturing a transparentspherical object with a substantially two-dimensional orthree-dimensional inclusion, which method comprises the following steps:(a) providing two complementary halves of the spherical object such thatat least one of two contact surfaces of the respective halves to bedirected toward each other has a central recess which also forms aboundary of a cavity for accommodating at least a part of the inclusion;(b) arranging at least said part of the inclusion in said recess(es);and (c) mutually adhering the two halves in order to form the object:wherein the cavity formed by the recess(es) is filled with a transparentmass, which is transparent and rigid after curing, encapsulating theinclusion.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mass has arefractive index in the same order of magnitude as that of the materialof the two halves.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at leastone of the recesses is provided with a reflective coating.
 4. The methodas claimed in claim 1, wherein the halves are manufactured from glass.5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the halves are manufacturedfrom a transparent plastic.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe inclusion comprises a three-dimensional pattern which is formed byimpressing with a stamp in the bottom of the recess at a temperature atwhich the material of the half having the recess therein is plastic. 7.The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (c) is performed with amaterial selected from the group consisting of a glue, an adhesiveenamel and a double-sided adhesive foil.
 8. The method as claimed inclaim 7, wherein the glue or the adhesive enamel is transparent.
 9. Themethod as claimed in claim 7, wherein the adhesive enamel is provided inadvance with information.
 10. The method as claimed in claim 7, whereinuse is made of transparent, optical glue.
 11. The method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the two halves mutually engage with edge zones which donot extend in a flat main plane of the contact surfaces, such that thehalves are not relatively slidable in that main plane.
 12. The method asclaimed in claim 1, wherein each of the two halves has a central recess,which two recesses each support a part of the inclusion, wherein theperipherally extending contact surfaces are formed such that prior tostep (c) they can only be placed onto one another in one relativeorientation.
 13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recesshas, a flat bottom.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein therecess has a concave bottom.
 15. The method as claimed in claim 1,wherein the two halves are mutually adhered by means of the parts of thetwo contact surfaces extending around the central recess(es).
 16. Themethod as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transparent mass is glue. 17.The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inclusion isthree-dimensional, is accommodated in said recess and is manufacturedsubstantially from a crystalline sugar.
 18. The method as claimed inclaim 17, wherein the inclusion is at least partially provided with acoloured coating.
 19. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein theinclusion comprises a printing.
 20. The method as claimed in claim 19,wherein the printing is applied by the stipple method or byscreenprinting.
 21. A transparent object obtained with the method asclaimed in claim 1.